Dual B.S. Agricultural Economics and MPSA Program
We offer an accelerated, 5-year dual agricultural economics and MPSA degree program in partnership with the Bush School of Government and Public Service. This degree program allows agricultural economics majors to enter The Bush School at the start of their senior year at Texas A&M University. This enables you to receive both a B.S. in Agricultural Economics and a Master of Public Service and Administration graduate degree, with a track emphasis in public policy analysis, in just five years.
Program Details
- Degree: B.S. Agricultural Economics and MPSA, Master of Public Service Administration
- Credit Hours: 168 total credit hours
Admissions Requirements
Agricultural economics majors who have at least a 3.25 GPA and who will have taken all of their prerequisite courses and otherwise completed 104 hours by the fall of their fourth year (meaning you have the summer before entry to complete any required hours) will be eligible to apply for the 3+2 program in their junior year.
Admission criteria for the 3+2 program will be the same as for other students. Applicants will submit the same support materials, with the exception of an internal 3+2 application found on The Bush School website. This is in place of the GradCAS application and portal, so no application fee is charged. Detailed application instructions are online under Admissions.
Students who choose not to finish the MPSA degree after starting the 3+2 program may exit the program at any time. Completed Bush School courses will be applied to their bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics, and students will select the AGEC option area that is most appropriate for their interest. Failure to complete the MPSA program will in no way impede their ability to attain a bachelor’s degree when the requirements for that degree are completed.
Those who pursue the 3+2 program will receive both Texas A&M degrees upon completion of the entire program, earning their B.S. in agricultural economics and their Master of Public Service and Administration at the end of their second year in the Bush School. Although they earn both, students will only walk for their MPSA graduation.
MPSA Degree Requirements
Admitted students will be enrolled in Bush School graduate courses with an undergraduate classification (U4) during their fourth year and will be re-classified as degree-seeking master’s students (G7) prior to the start of the fall semester of year five.
Five-year students are required to complete the same 2-year, 48-hour curriculum as other MPSA students. The curriculum combines ten core courses with six electives, one of which must be selected from: AGEC 604,606,607,610,614,633, or 652.
Students choose the Public Policy Analysis track and are encouraged to select from one of our existing concentration topics or create their own area of interest. A non-credit bearing professional internship is also completed in the summer between the first and second years for those without substantive professional experience. A capstone project for a “real world” client in the final two semesters caps the learning experience.
Career Options
The breadth and depth of training you receive will prepare you to find employment with competitive agribusiness companies and with firms outside of the agriculture sector. Recent companies that have hired our graduates include HEB, Sysco, Bayer Crop Science, Helena Agri-Enterprises, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Victory Shares Dividend Associates Deloitte. You can also explore other careers in this major through the Texas A&M Career Center.
| Job Title | Description | Average Salary |
| Sales Representative | Generate leads, qualify prospects and build relationships by recommending agronomic solutions and selling value added products. | $75,000 |
| Loan Specialist | Work with clients to prepare their application for a loan, compile, organize and review financial documents. | $45,000 |
| Marketing Analyst | Monitor and forecast marketing and sales trends in a particular industry. Conduct research and collect data relating to consumer preference, buying behavior or performance on a good or service. | $60,000 |
| Grain Merchandiser | Purchase and sell grain as a commodity, often working as a third party to coordinate logistics involved with buying direct from producers to sell direct to exporters, processors end users or other merchandisers. | $55,000 |
| Production Associate | Participate in warehouse and field operations such as planting, detasseling, field inspections, mapping, harvest, packaging and distribution. | $50,000 |